I find that I'm on antibiotics every six weeks despite doing the best as can with my exercises and with the advice I received from thus forum I will increase my fluid intake .This means that I seem to be going from one infection to another.

I have been tested for pseudomonas bug etc and thankfully I dint have it .

Do most people find that you need a maintenance antibiotic for a decent quality of life.

Hi, a year or so ago, i had repeat infections & regular antibiotics. But i had no infections in the last few months & i have moved from severe to moderate copd. Hopefuly this will last but if i get another chest infection, i wil have to take a maintenance antibiotcs. I think we go through more difficult health periods but health can change fo the better. Hope you get the infections sorted soon. Love M x

I don't take antibiotics,as it is a virus I get not infection,so they are being used uselessly!! Don't work , overused. I will take a few steroids if I need them,they get me going again and I can eat on them,BUT, they are lethal, keep them for people that really need them,as they can save a life ,so can't write them of,very rare do I have them,I rely on my nebulizer it clears my chest to breath better,lots of muck in the mouth ,have a natural mouth wash from health shop,no more crap from chemist!!yuck

Thank you for taking the time to reply . I definitely need the antibiotics when I take them as I have severe Bronchiectasis and this is the only way to keep it under control. Many thanks for raking the time to reply

My husband has severe COPD - about five years ago he had a terrible year with infections what seemed like every month. I decided to put together a supplement regime which includes vitamin D, vitamin C and a host of other things and for five years has been relatively infection/exacerbation free UNTIL this year! We both caught flu in January and since then he seems to have had one infection after another - in fact he has just finished his fifth course of anti-biotics and his sputum samples taken at the end of the antibiotics have to date all come back clear!

I am taking a deep breath - using lots of hand gel and avoiding anyone who looks slightly infected!! Although I have been told by a doctor that this year has been particularly bad and that there a lots of nasty infections around. The best of luck xxx

Hi, I tried Echinacea tincture (natural antibiotic) and got on well with this, take it at the first sign of cold or anything. However, do look up the contra indications with it, cannot use with methotrexate.

My GP puts me on a carousel of anti-biotic's so the bugs dont build up so much of a resistance against just 1. I also use a nebuliser, ventolin inhaler, symbicort prednisolone and a few extra pharma, but also try to keep Vit C levels up also fluids.

I am another who struggles with frequent, persistant lung infections. Sad to say in the past I have found I am intolerant to Azithromycin.

I am pleased you have not grown psuodo but do you know what you do grow. Do you know if you are colonised with haemophylus?

It would be useful to talk to you consultant with regard to the use of antibiotics prothylactically i.e. Azithromycin or even nebulised antibiotics. Not sure if you use mucus thinners or saline but that might also be something you could discuss with con.

I have just been on a PR course and we were told to hold off the steroids for a few days as people were becoming very independent on them they recommend we start our antibiotics and see the GP as soon a possible to make sure we have a infection

One of the biggest problems with infection is the fact that it might not of gone but was not bad enough for you to feel ill. I had a bad one that kept showing promise on one AB and then it seemed to mutate and I had to have another. I have taken Probiotics ever since and it does seem to have helped me?

Hi I've posted this before and will continue to do so in the hope it helps others. I've got bronchiectasis and now unfortunately pseudomonas. I used to take antibiotics regularly but since nebulising garlic liquid (plus taking supplements), I haven't had any infections.

I thought I was developing a chest infection last week. Monday - dripping nose all day. Tuesday - bringing up loads of mucous with very sore lungs. Weds - still bringing up lots of crud but not painful. Thurs - feeling much better.

In the past I would never have been able to shake off an infection. I would say it's thanks to garlic.

That is so interesting & I would love to try it ( I would try anything) I have severe Bronchiectasis with regular hemoptysis so the infections exasperate that . How do you nebulise garlic and what supplements do you take ?

I too suffer with bronchiectasis and had one infection after another, for about a year. Eventually prescribed Azithromycin and fortunately it has changed my life. Is stopped taking them after approx. 6 months and have been free from infections for 7 months now. It 's definitely worth a try. Hoping you will soon be able to find something that works for you. Best wishes barnowl

Azithromycin is a tablet usually taken only on alternate days. If you have bronchiectasis I'm amazed it has not been tried for you. Do you have a hospital consultant? Hassle them for a trial at least. If you can tolerate it (and not everyone can) it is a great drug - seems to dry up mucus as well as antibiotic effect.

That is amazing. I am attending a consultant but I feel to be fair to him he is holding out on upping my treatment until he feels it's absolutely necessary . I had been very stablev( only aboutv3 antibiotics a year ) till around five years ago . Now it's almost every six weeks and IV antibiotics a few times over the same period. My sputum is not colonised with Mac now which is good and I don't have the pseudomonas bug which he suspected last year. I also find when Inhave an infection I can get so weak my balance almost goes and my heart beats louder & on occasions I just have to lie down till it passes . At the moment I am well

Im pretty much the same, and have my own supply of antibiotics and steroids. I stay away from the steroids as much as poss though as I hate the side effects. Just started more ab's this morning. Hey ho xx